Bo, 63, was the party chief of Chongqing in southwestern China and one of the 25 members of the Communist Party politburo.

As the scandal erupted he was suspended and disappeared from the public eye.

Until then, Bo had been widely tipped for a senior role in the future Chinese government to be appointed at the Communist Party Congress which is expected to start in mid-October.

The scandal damaged the Communist party image and authorities were hoping to draw a line under it before the delicate power transition.

Apart from linking Bo to Heywood's murder Xinhua also said he "had or maintained improper sexual relations with multiple women," a charge aimed to further discredit his name before the Congress. Bo's crackdown on crime in Chongqing had made him popular with citizens.